Johnson to let benefit claimants buy homes…
“Lower-paid workers will be able to use their housing benefits to buy homes under plans to be announced by Boris Johnson today. In a speech the prime minister is expected to say that he wants to change the rules so people can use welfare payments to get mortgages and make monthly payments. He will argue that the £30 billion in housing benefit that goes towards rent would be better spent in helping people to become first-time buyers. One minister described the policy as “benefits to bricks” and said it would enable young people to pass affordability checks needed to get a mortgage. Johnson will also try to emulate Margaret Thatcher by announcing plans to extend the right to buy to people who rent from housing associations.” – The Times
- Mortgages will be paid using housing benefit – The Sun
- PM to announce help for people to buy homes – Independent
- Housing association renters given right to buy – Daily Telegraph
- Tenants on benefits offered help to buy own homes – Daily Mail
- Johnson to focus on housing as economic storm clouds gather – The Guardian
- PM makes boosting economic growth his top priority – FT
…as Rees-Mogg warns rebels call PM’s bluff and risk election
“Boris Johnson could fight an early general election if his opponents defy him on key legislation, MPs fear. Some of the 148 rebels who voted against Johnson on Monday have been considering whether “vote strikes” would nudge him closer to the exit. However, Jacob Rees-Mogg, the Brexit opportunities minister, is said to have told ministers on Monday night after the confidence vote that any such strike could precipitate an early election. He said that because the fixed-term parliaments act had been revoked, Johnson could turn any vote in the Commons into a confidence vote. If he lost, it would trigger the dissolution of parliament and an election. A source who was at the meeting said: “Jacob was making the point that this was something nobody, even the rebels, wants.” One rebel MP said: “There’s lots of concern that the only way Boris could get out of this is to call a general election.” – The Times
- Tory rebels wait for Johnson to ‘blow himself up’ to trigger fresh vote – The Guardian
- MP denies voting to keep Johnson in return for ‘bag of cash’ – The Guardian
Comment
- ‘Safe hands’ Hunt may refuse offer to be PM’s sidekick – Camilla Tominey, Daily Telegraph
- PM is deluded if he thinks firing Sunak can save him from oblivion – Allister Heath, Daily Telegraph
- A smart cabinet would be plotting to get rid of Johnson – Martin Kettle, The Guardian
- Comparing Johnson to May is lazy and pointless – Tom Harris, Daily Telegraph
Madeline Grant: Doesn’t Starmer know that autopsy with a butter knife will never cut it?
“You can’t bank on much in politics these days but one thing is certain; never underestimate Keir Starmer’s unerring capacity for snatching defeat from the jaws of victory. Like England collapsing at Lords or Tim Henman in a Wimbledon semi-final, there is an almost comforting reliability to it. On Wednesday the PM had packed his revolver, only for Starmer to turn up with a water-pistol. Loyalists and rebels alike thronged the Tory benches – from Michael Fabricant, beaming reverentially at his boss, to Aaron Bell and William Wragg, smirking shiftily at the back. As the PM bounded into the Commons wearing a silky green tie, Tory backbenchers heralded his arrival with a guttural roar “YEAHHHAAAAH”. “I couldn’t work out if that noise was cheers or boos!”, grinned Starmer, chuckling at his own gag. But from then on he looked more subdued. Gallantly avoiding the latest nightmarish growth predictions from the OECD, and the not-insignificant matter that two in five Tory MPs had knifed the PM in the back on Monday, Starmer chose to lead with one of the few topics Boris Johnson reliably enjoys talking about – the (sorry, “our”) NHS.” – Daily Telegraph
>Yesterday:
- ToryDiary: Andrew Gimson’s PMQs sketch: Johnson the pantomime villain shows the House he has survived
Lawyers bid to ground first Rwanda flight
“Priti Patel’s first migrants flight to Rwanda was in doubt last night after legal actions were lodged against it. A coalition of charities and a trade union that represents Border Force staff has applied for an injunction to halt Tuesday’s operation. They are also seeking a judicial review of the policy. The legal tactics, plus a raft of appeals lodged on behalf of individual migrants, are likely to lead to the flight being postponed pending resolution of the issues in court. It comes as migrants arriving in Dover could soon be transported to Zambia after the country ‘expressed an interest’ in the Rwanda scheme. Zambia is understood to be ‘potentially interested’ in signing a similar agreement with the Government, bit is holding off to see how the scheme works in Rwanda.” – Daily Mail
Cost of filling up average car hits £100 as petrol prices soar
“The price of a tank of petrol is expected to hit £100 for the first time on Thursday as the cost of living crisis deepens. Petrol prices have risen by 2p per litre – the biggest daily jump in 17 years – which left a full tank for the average family car costing £99.40. The Government’s 5p fuel duty cut announced in March has already been effectively wiped out by soaring prices, triggering calls for another intervention. There has also been accusations of profiteering and threats to name and shame those companies not passing on the fuel duty cut. The Prime Minister’s official spokesman said: “We are continuing to look at all possible options. Transparency may have an important role to play. “It is important the public understand what actions each of the fuel retailers are taking and so we are considering what further options we can take in this area.” – Daily Telegraph
Inflation concerns force Sunak to rule out tax cuts in autumn
“Boris Johnson and Rishi Sunak have ruled out tax cuts in this autumn’s budget because of fears that reductions would fuel inflation. The prime minister and the chancellor are expected to make a speech next week in which they will set out a possible long-term timetable for reducing people’s tax burden. One government source said ministers were considering reducing income tax by 2p — rather than the planned cut of 1p — in 2024. Other tax cuts were also being considered. However, No 10 and No 11 have ruled out any personal tax cuts this autumn and will instead focus on incentives for businesses to invest. A government source said that it would be irresponsible to bring in tax cuts at a time when inflation is expected to rise to more than ten per cent.” – The Times
>Yesterday:
Brexiteers ‘swayed’ Johnson on Northern Ireland protocol during secret talks
“Boris Johnson held secret talks with Tory Brexiteers amid pressure from his backbenchers to harden up legislation overriding swathes of the Northern Ireland protocol. Whitehall sources told The Times that the bill had undergone “substantial drafting and redrafting” in the wake of Monday’s confidence vote in a bid to allay concerns of the Tory right. It was also discussed at a private meeting on Tuesday night between the prime minister, Liz Truss, the foreign secretary, and Sir Bill Cash, a representative of the European Research Group of Brexiteer Tory MPs (ERG). One source said the meeting took place before other senior cabinet ministers had seen details of the bill or been consulted on the changes. “Simon Case [the cabinet secretary] has very serious questions to answer about how this was allowed to happen,” they said.” – The Times
- Johnson warned of new clash with MPs over Northern Ireland protocol – FT
>Today:
‘Supermum’ peer leaves role after criticising PM
“A prominent pro-Brexit banker dubbed Supermum has been forced out of a government role after she called for Boris Johnson’s resignation. Baroness Morrissey, who has nine children, resigned as the lead non-executive director of the Foreign Office yesterday after Liz Truss made clear she would sack her. On Monday night, after Johnson narrowly won a confidence vote, Morrissey, who was ennobled by Johnson in 2020, said the prime minister was “just in the wrong job”. Morrissey, 56, told LBC: “Wavering MPs, when they saw the booing of the prime minister outside St Paul’s . . . would see that he had actually become a liability rather than an asset.” – The Times
- Truss defies Johnson over drive to slash Whitehall jobs – Daily Telegraph
‘Bullying and tribalism’ in NHS prompt Javid to promise shake-up
“Wholesale culture change in the NHS was demanded by the health secretary yesterday after an official report criticised tribalism, bullying and blame-dodging in the health service. Sajid Javid promised a “once-in-a-generation shake-up of management” as he accepted in full a report calling for standardisation of leadership training and assessment. However, Theresa May warned him to “proceed with care” after General Sir Gordon Messenger, who led the review, also criticised short-termism and top-down targets for distorting care.” – The Times
- NHS to face biggest shake-up of leadership in decades – FT
Comment
- Tinkering with NHS governance is hardly the radical reform patients crave – Editorial, Daily Telegraph
Sharma in running to be UN’s global climate chief
“Alok Sharma, the UK cabinet minister who led last year’s Cop26 climate summit, is in the running to be the UN’s global climate chief, at a crucial time for international action on greenhouse gas emissions. The UN’s current top climate official, Patricia Espinosa, will step down next month, leaving a vacancy as the world prepares for the next stage in vital negotiations to stave off climate breakdown. The former business secretary, known through two years of fraught negotiations as “no-drama Sharma” for his calm exterior, stunned observers when he became emotional in the final dramatic moments of the Glasgow summit last November, as the hoped-for deal was nearly sunk in the final stage by disputes with China and India.” – The Guardian
Fury at government after Tory-run council overruled on gas drilling
“Campaigners and the Liberal Democrats have criticised the government after a minister overruled a Tory-run council to approve gas drilling on the edge of the Surrey Hills, despite accepting the scheme would cause harm to the natural landscape. The decision, formally announced in a written statement by the housing minister Stuart Andrew, gives the green light to three years of exploratory drilling at a site near the edge of the Surrey Hills area of outstanding natural beauty (AONB). The site is in the South West Surrey constituency of Jeremy Hunt, the former health secretary, who strongly opposes the project. The plan was rejected by Surrey county council, but a subsequent public inquiry recommended it should go ahead, a decision which was then assessed by the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, which approved it.” – The Guardian
Stand up to ‘religious mobs’ who forced Cineworld to cancel film, politicians told
“Appeasing “religious mobs” will undermine social cohesion, a government adviser has warned in the wake of Islamic protests about a film. Dame Sara Khan, the Government’s independent adviser on social cohesion and resilience, criticised politicians’ failure to stand up to protests that have forced Cineworld to cancel all UK screenings of a film about the daughter of the Prophet Mohammed. In an exclusive article for The Telegraph, Dame Sara said it would be easy to criticise Cineworld when questions should be asked about “what support and help did they receive from local and central government, their local MPs and even the police”. Cineworld said it had pulled The Lady of Heaven “to ensure the safety of our staff and customers”. More than 120,000 people signed a petition opposing its screening, while the Bolton Council of Mosques called the film “blasphemous”. – Daily Telegraph
>Today:
Blair’s apprenticeship start-up worth £1.4bn
“The education business run by Euan Blair, the son of the former prime minister Tony Blair, has joined the ranks of the UK’s unicorns after being valued at $1.7 billion (£1.36 billion) in its latest funding round, increasing his paper fortune to more than £600 million. Multiverse, an apprenticeship company, was founded in 2016 to match people who have not been to university with jobs and training, paid for by their employers. The funding, which has come from Stepstone, the US investment group, and two previous investors, Lightspeed Venture Partners and General Catalyst, is being used to expand the business in the US as well as the company’s range of tuition programmes. Blair, 38, said he was trying to create an alternative to university education that brought in people who were traditionally excluded from the workplace.” – The Times
News in Brief
- Who will replace Boris Johnson as Conservative Party leader? – Ben Walker, New Statesman
- How the rebels plan to finish Johnson off – James Forsyth, The Spectator
- Every day Johnson clings on my old party sinks further into the abyss – Dominic Grieve, Prospect
- Masters of regicide? In fact the Conservative Party has a grand tradition of failed coups – William Atkinson, CapX
- Johnson is wrong to think he is safe for a year – Harry Lambert, New Statesman
- The Tory cadets who want a shot at the top – Katy Balls, The Spectator
- Raising the smoking age is a fig leaf for outright prohibition – Christopher Snowdon, CapX
- Is this the end of Pope Francis? – Damian Thomson, UnHerd